Reviewing Lava Coffee: Craft coffee drinks and more in Katy, TX.

All kinds of trendy cafes have been popping up in Katy, Texas over the last few years. What used to be a grassy field is now full of life, complete with ramen restaurants, izakayas, karaoke parlors, and bakeries. Lava Coffee sits nestled between them all.

I was with a friend that I hadn’t seen in a long time, so we wanted to go somewhere where we could talk for hours and where it wasn’t too loud, but also had interesting sounding drinks. We are both obsessed with coffee, so when looking at the menus online for coffee shops nearby, we decided on Lava Coffee because they had the most unique flavors (like rose matcha, toffee moon, and honey lavender).

The outside of Lava Coffee doesn’t do justice to how well decorated the interior is. From a vast number of seating options to relaxing lighting, I immediately knew we’d made a good choice.

The entire store gives off a library-esque feeling, which I loved. They have shelves of books near the back that are labeled “not for sale,” but you can read them while you’re in the store. Because most Houston teahouses, for some reason, always have board games available to play, making things a bit loud, seeing books available was a nice change of pace.

There is even a neat little section near the cash register where local artists have left cups they’ve designed. Anyone can do it though, so if you so choose, you can have your specifically designed cup out on display! I love when cafes and restaurants do things like this. Seeing that they support local artists by letting them show off their talent and add their social media handles for exposure makes me feel good about buying my drinks from Lava Coffee.

The barista was helpful when I asked questions and even helped my friend find the right drink for her when she had trouble deciding because they have so many flavors and drink types to choose from. Contrary to the name, Lava Coffee doesn’t just serve coffee. They have many teas, lemonades, and other refreshing drinks to choose from, as well as some sandwiches, snacks, and sweets. I went with the honey lavender, and we settled into our seats. Usually, when you order anything with a botanical flavor, be it jasmine, lavender, or rose, the floral flavor tends to take over. This latte is an exception as the honey is the absolute star in this latte. And it doesn’t have an artificial honey flavor either; they use real, natural honey.

It has a rich honey taste balanced with the lavender to give it a more complex flavor and takes away the sharp bitterness of the espresso. The latte had a thicker texture than a typical latte, which was most likely due to the honey they use. It almost feels more like a dessert than a standard latte. However, the honey and the sweetness were far from overpowering; it was the right amount to indulge that sweet tooth, quench your thirst, and give you a burst of energy on a sleepy afternoon.

So if you love honey, you’ll love this latte as much as I did.